It Is Written
by Ascoeur
Summary: After a disagreeable encounter with her bully, Santana, at the Summer Academy of Elemental Unity, over being an 'impotent' human, Rachel escapes to a clearing to find solace, instead she runs into the Ice Princess, who was just trying to find a place to read a book without falling off of trees, dammit! Stupid rotting branches. And idiotic tree-reading romanticizing novels.


"PUOGH!"

A grunt of pain emanating on impact.

"You're such a wuss, Fish Lips," Santana scoffed out with disdain. "I hardly even _singed _you!"

"Not true! You scorched me! There was a sizzle, there _definitely _was a sizzle!" Sam accused petulantly, patting himself searchingly. "Right, guys? You heard it? I could have melted!"

"Sorry, man, I just got here," Mike opinioned, shrugging. "I don't even know what's going on!"

"Mmmm," Brittany hummed out in contemplation. "Nope. I didn't hear anything! But you fell over with a _thud._ That was super funny!"

Santana turned back to Sam. "Britt says she didn't hear anything. Britt never lies. So stop having a conniption on me!"

"Ah! My shirt! It has a hole! You scalded through it! My mom will be so mad at me when I get back home!" Sam bemoaned reproachingly.

Santana's eyebrow twitched and she ignited a flame than encapsulated her entire palm. "I swear one more complaint out of you and I will weld your gigantic mouth shut…"

"Santana!" Brittany intervened in alarm. She swiftly twirled in front of the blonde boy with a protective posture. "Don't solder Sam's mouth together! Then he won't be able to tell us his funny jokes."

Santana's hand blaze abated. "But why are you standing up for him, Britt-Britt? _He's _the one that wanted me to show him my fire bending!"

"You know Sam's new to the academy, San! He didn't know we're not supposed to bend outside of class," Brittany reminded in a placatingly saccharine tone. "Please don't hurt him. Don't force me to bend. You liked his impersonation of Master Sue, didn't you?"

"Yeah, but that was the first week of summer school," Santana argued weakly. "Then I got to know him. It all just went downhill from there."

"I-I think that about summarizes everyone's relationship with Santana here," Tina quietly contributed, mostly speaking to Mike.

"What? Aren't Santana and I best friends?" Mike cluelessly inquired.

Tina stoically stared at him.

"No, _I'm _Sanny's best friend," Brittany pouted.

"Yeah, Mark, Britt's it for me," Santana settled.

"My name's Mike," Mike mumbled out gloomily. "We've known each other for five years…"

Tina patted him on the back. "We're only ten. You have plenty of time to find a new best friend!"

"You're right!" Mike said, turning to Tina. "Tina…"

Tina gazed at him, illusioned.

"Do you think—"

"Uh-hum…?"

"—that Brittany would be my new best friend?"

Tina's face palmed.

"Oh, heck no!" the fiery brunette set both of her palms aflame. "Britt is taken!"

"Santana! Oh my Barbra!" a voice shrilled out in shock.

"Who the—?" Santana questioned it her brow furrowed, turning around to face the direction of the voice.

"Stop, drop, and roll!"

A tiny brunette immediately barreled into her.

"Ooof!"

"Rachie!" Brittany beamed.

Tina and Mike both winced at the impact between the two girls. "Ouch."

"What _in the world—_Berry!" Santana growled out in confused agitation.

"There's no time, Santana!" Rachel flung sand straight in her face.

"BLEH! Gnome, You did NOT just make me eat dirt! ?" Santana spurned in incredulity.

"Apologies. I missed the target." Rachel threw sand at her body.

"Eww, ewww, nooo, noo, stoooop! Manhands, Do you WANT me to smolder you to ashes! ?"

"We have to put out the fire that's scorching you!"

Brittany drifted to Santana's side and blew out her flames with a gentle gust, taking a hold of the girl's now lukewarm hands. "San, please be nice, don't force me to bend. I don't want you to get in trouble. Who will I play with at recess if you're gone?"

"Brittany, while I usually am one to allow sentimental moments to proceed, I ask that you please refrain from any form of tactile contact with Santana's hands. We must help her before they scar. Quickly, everyone, help me spit on her!"

"WHAT! NO? GET OFF ME! AND DON'T ANYONE COME CLOSE!" Santana shrieked out warningly, scurrying to her feet.

"Santana, I have read in medical books much too technical for my age that during times lacking adequate ointments for urgent wounds, saliva is an active substance readily available within our mouths that can be applied to the site of injury in order to immediately initiate the body's immune response through the detection of bacteria and thus promote brisk heal—"

"Agh, I don't wanna hear it! You're making my head hurt with your big, dumb words!" Santana yelled out in frustration.

"Santana, I understand you're feeling distressed, if you will just let me spit—"

"STOP TALKING! Leave me alone!" Santana roughly pushed the tinier girl off her lap. "Don't you remember I'm a fire bender?"

"Of course I do!" Rachel indignantly huffed. "But need I remind you two summers ago, during your ostentatious demonstration of your newly-acquired bending abilities, how you inadvertently burned yourself with your self-generated flames?"

"_Two summers ago_, Leprechaun!" Santana retaliated. "I can control it better now!"

"Well excuse me for being concerned!" Rachel pouted with her arms crossed.

"Yeah, you better be sorry, you wanted to spit on me, you disgusting freak!" Santana spat back.

Rachel pursed her lips. "I just attempted to avoid a possible conflagration! It was the last resort during such resource scant scenario."

Brittany stepped in, placing a placating hand on the Latina's shoulder. "Sanny, Rachie just wanted to help."

"Yeah, well, let me help her in return!" Santana grunted. "_Situational Awareness, _Berry. Learn some…. Stupid."

Brittany subtly squeezed Santana's shoulder. "Santana… don't be mean…. You know I don't like that word…"

"Um, guys, I think I actually have a legitimate burn here," Sam eased back into the conversation.

Brittany turned to him with a small frown. "Sam, please don't make this about you, we're all just trying to get along."

Sam blinked in confusion.

"Yo, what's going on over here?" a boy with a curious Mohawk stepped in, followed by a scrawny boy with glasses and an abnormally towering boy.

"Just the usual Berry burning," Santana replied. "Which I'm beginning to consider in a literal sense…"

Rachel yelped in fright. "Noah! Do something!"

The mohawked boy took in the startled girl's terrified expression and scowled. "Come on, Santana, you think you are all hot stuff because your bending powers awoke early? You're only two summers ahead."

"That's a summer extra than the lot of you," Santana argued, folding her arms. "Well, and three summers ahead of Berry. Still impotent, Short Stack?"

"It's not a race, Santana," the tall boy, Finn, countered. "Some of us are late bloomers."

"You're such a hypocrite," Santana retorted. "You're so huge you can pretty much pass as a secondary student. Seriously, what are you still doing in primary school? It's weird."

Finn self-consciously scratched the back of his neck.

"Why are you trying to pick a fight with Rachel, Santana?" glasses boy intervened. "It wouldn't be fair and you know it. Plus we aren't supposed to bend outside of class."

"I must agree with Artie, Santana," Rachel spoke up. "I don't believe now is the time to discuss or act on the seeming animosity you appear to hold against me. We are currently residing in the premises of the Summer Academy for Elemental Unity and as its mission statement is to bring the most promising youth from each representative nation and instill unto them a sense of understanding and solidarity amongst the global community, I would suggest that we set our differences aside and continue to make this summer, as the many that have past, an enlightening and convivial experience."

Everyone stared at Rachel blankly.

Rachel blinked. "Yes?"

"I stopped listening after she said amistocity…" Brittany shrugged.

"She said gastronomy, Britt-Britt," Santana corrected.

"Why would she talk about gas? That's so random…" Brittany contemplated with a frown.

"Nah, nah, she said pornography," Mike stated proudly, glad he knew a big word.

Everyone gasped.

Was it _that_ shocking he was smart?

Santana turned to Rachel. "Did you _really _say pornography, Berry? That's so gross, you're slipping inappropriate things along with your big words."

"What? I most certainly did not!" Rachel defended herself. "I have no idea how everyone could so disastrously misinterpret my spoken words! My fathers taught me to enunciate _very clearly_."

"You have two dads?" Sam asked, confused.

Santana smirked. "Oh, yeah, Trouty Mouth, forgot you were new here. Berry here doesn't have a mom."

Rachel's eyes widened and she clenched her fists.

Tina spoke up, softly. "Santana… I don't think we should mention that…"

"What happened, Berry? Soon as your momma popped you out she took a look at your fugly face and dropped you at the nearest stork outsource delivery service?"

"Santana, I ask that you please stop speaking about what my biological mother may or may not have done following my birth. I don't feel that is an appropriate topic—"

"Why? You're willing to talk about _pornography _and yet you can't even talk about your family?" Santana taunted. "If what you have can even be called that…. Is that why you're such a—such a perv? Did your parents—"

Rachel stomped over to the fiery brunette and defiantly stared her down. "Do not complete that sentence. I can tolerate you insulting me but I will not stand for any disrespect directed at my exemplary fathers!"

"Exemplary! ? They haven't even taught you how to dress right, you Dung Beetle!" Santana spat back, pushing the girl brusquely backwards without preamble and causing her to land on her knees as the girl spun around at the last minute.

Rachel whimpered.

"Santana!" Puck yelled in admonishment.

"Flaming poop," Santana muttered out. "Drat, Berry, get up, I didn't even push you that hard."

"Rachie, are you okay?" Brittany immediately went to check on the brunette. As she tended to the girl, she gazed back at Santana in disappointment.

Santana gulped.

Rachel sniffed. "It hurts."

"What hurts, Rachie?" Brittany softly inquired. "Let me see."

Everyone gathered around.

Rachel sat on her posterior and showed her scraped knees, wiping her watery eyes with a trembling lip.

Santana felt a pang of guilt. "Don't start crying now, you're just gonna embarrass yourself…"

Sam nodded vigorously, throwing his own cent of sympathy. "As Master Sue would say, 'You think _that_ hurts? Try getting blasted by consecutive firebombs, being mercilessly impaled by poisoned glacier lances, getting continually bone-crushed by a 500 pound vermin-infested boulder, and all while being thrashed around like a ragdoll by a cyclonic tornado. _That_ hurts."

Everyone laughed at Sam's impersonation.

Except for Rachel, who was about to lick her thumb in order to tend to her wounds.

"Ew, you're a_ctually _thinking about spitting on your own knee?" Santana grimaced. "Just like an animal? What a loser…"

Rachel self-consciously retracted her thumb and her knees wobbled as she stood. "Stop being so mean to me!"

"Don't be such a baby!" Santana countered.

"Just leave me alone, Santana!" Rachel cried weakly, pivoting on her heel and running away from the crowd of kids.

"Wait! Hold on! Argh!" Santana growled in frustration. She fought back the only way she knew, getting the last word in. "Yeah! Go cry home to your mommy! Oh, wait, that doesn't apply to you, does it! ?"

"Hey, no one makes my Jewish Jewel cry and gets away with it," Puck confronted.

"Back off, it's her fault she can't take it," Santana huffed, defensively folding her arms.

"Her parents made me promise I'd take care of her!" Puck exclaimed.

"Just goes to show Berry is so pathetic she has to have her parents assign someone to hang around her," Santana replied.

"Santana," Brittany interceded.

Santana stilled. Brittany never called her by her full name unless she displayed disapproval.

"Britt-Britt?"

Brittany's lower lip wobbled. "Why were you so cruel to Rachie? She just wants to be included… I know I didn't follow her really big speech but she said something about solids and union… She just wants us all to get along…"

"I—I wasn't meaning to…. I mean, you know I tried… A-are you mad at me?" Santana questioned with a slight tremble to her voice.

Brittany stared at her for a lengthy minute. "I'm not feeling very happy, if that's what you're asking…"

Santana's eyes teared up and her fists tightened as she clenched her teeth in chagrin. "I thought you liked me for me…"

Brittany smiled kindly. "This is isn't you..."

Santana sniffed and furiously rubbed her eyes. "You hate me."

"No, that's not—"

Santana bolted before Brittany had a chance to elaborate, and she left a trail of benign fire behind her as she ran, shooting fireballs at random objects in her path.

CRACK! FWOOP! THUD!

Everyone glanced at the individual that dropped off the tree.

"She burned the branch I was sitting on," grumbled the testy blonde that now lay sat on the ground, rubbing her rear.

"Quinn? How long have you been there?" Finn asked, looking confused.

"Long before you invaded my quiet reading space," Quinn replied with a sigh.

"Oh. Sorry," Artie said.

"What do you know, the fairytales I read are true, angels do fall from the sky," Puck remarked with a cheeky grin.

The young Quinn arched her eyebrow and decided not to deign that with a reply.

Tina stared at the slack-jawed Sam. She elbowed Mike. "What's up with him?"

Mike shrugged.

"The Ice Princess… you can speak!" Sam exclaimed.

If possible, Quinn arched her eyebrow even higher at that. "I can."

"I mean, I've been here for a whole month and I've never heard you say a word. Ever. It's so weird to hear your voice. Don't get me wrong, it's a nice voice! But it's still weird. So weird."

Quinn rolled her eyes. "I'm going to go find somewhere else to read."

"Quinn," Brittany detained the girl.

Quinn stopped.

"D-do you think you could talk to Santana for me?"

Quinn regarded the other blonde with a stoic expression. "Why don't you?"

Brittany lowered her head pitifully. "I don't think she wants to see me…"

Quinn once again remained silent. "I think you're the only one she wants to see."

"But she ran away from me?"

Quinn lightly shrugged. "Santana's difficult."

Brittany looked at her with sad eyes.

Quinn sighed. "Just talk to her. Trust me."

"What do I say?"

"Anything you come up with will be better than what I can give you, Brittany," Quinn replied with an imperceptible, encouraging smile. "I'm leaving now."

Quinn ambled away with her thick book underneath her arm, in search of a new reading sanctuary.

Brittany nodded to herself and ran in the direction that Santana took.

"Is Quinn always this quiet?" Sam asked.

"She's a girl of few words," Artie supplied.

"She's of a more taciturn disposition," Tina said.

"Oooh, big words!" Finn noted.

"I'm going to definitely make her my bride when we grow up," Puck said.

"I thought you liked Rachel?" Tine asked.

"Rachel is like my sister!" Puck said. "I can't marry my sister."

"I didn't even know inter-nation marriage was allowed…" Mike said.

"Rachel and I are from the Earth Kingdom," Puck said.

"No, I mean, like, you and Quinn," Mike rectified.

"The previous Avatar married a water bender, and he was an air bender, so why not us?"

"Yeah, but he was the Avatar, that status is like a trump card, you get your pick of who you marry from whatever nation," Finn said.

"Finn, you're a fire bender, you could marry Santana," Tina suggested.

"What? No! I don't ever wanna marry. Girls have cooties. And my dad always does what my mom says. I only want to do what I want forever," Finn declared.

Tina nodded. "I think that's a good idea! Let's all never get married!"

Everyone cheered.

"But I'm still making Quinn my wife," Puck said.

"As long as you don't marry her," Sam said with a smile.

"Yeah!"

Everyone cheered again.

"So, um, guys, don't want to interrupt, but maybe we should start putting out the fire now?" Artie suggested.

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"Santana… just… some people can be so… so… moronic!" Rachel muttered out in disgruntlement at the edge of a shallow, freshwater river.

She experimentally dipped one of her feet into the flowing water, to test the temperature.

"I think this should be good enough to disinfect my skinned knees," Rachel told herself.

THUD!

"Eeeek!" Rachel became startled and fell into the river.

"Stupid rotting tree branches," Quinn mumbled to herself in mild irritation. "Why do I keep falling off of them?"

"Oh my Barbra! Help! Someone help! I can't swim! My life is in danger!" Rachel screamed from the river.

Quinn immediately reacted, lifting her hands to perform some bending, until she noticed the extent of the little brunette's plight. She sighed in boredom.

"Please! Anyone! Come to my rescue! I'm too young and talented to drown!" Rachel gurgled out as she submerged in the water.

"Just stand," Quinn vocalized from where she was situated in the grass by the river.

"I have yet to fulfill my cosmic-endowed potential! Someone do the world a favor and save me! I can't pass on without regaling the world with my gifts!" Rachel breathed out as her voice meekly petered out.

Quinn rolled her eyes. She stomped over to where the girl was "drowning" and clasped onto her wrist, easily pulling her to a standing position.

"Better?"

"MY HERO!" Rachel clung onto her savior.

"Huh?"

Rachel pulled back and started at her savior. "I apologize. Allow me to rectify… MY HEROINE!" And she squeezed the blonde again.

Quinn lightly pushed the girl back by her shoulder. "Stop being so dramatic. Look." She pointed to how the shallow water reached the girl's ankles. "You were pretty much just drowning on rocks. Considering you're from the Earth Kingdom, that's pretty pitiful."

Rachel let go of the blonde. "Well, I don't know how to control my element as of yet, so I would not have been able to extricate myself from the rocks anyhow." The brunette saved face.

"There was nothing to extricate yourself from. You were _on top_ of the rocks."

Rachel's cheeks reddened slightly. "That is beside the point. Either way, I feel that it was a valuable real-life experience that I may in the future draw from in order to properly portray a damsel in distress when I become a professional performer at Bender Splendor."

"The acclaimed bending and performing arts stage at Diamond Alliance?"

"That's the dream!" Rachel exclaimed enthusiastically. "Actually, more than a dream, it's my goal. Dream has the connotation of something unreachable. With my unparalleled talent and splendid poise, I am bound to achieve my goal. It is only a matter of time."

Quinn regarded the girl carefully. "You sound confident."

"Not just confident, but certain," Rachel replied, nodding her head, pleased with herself.

"You can't bend, though," Quinn pointed out.

Rachel immediately deflated.

"Performers at Bender Splendor have to be able to both bend and perform in order to be accepted," Quinn continued.

Rachel cleared her throat. "I-I realize! But I am only ten so there is still plenty of time for my bending abilities to surface."

Quinn silently considered her. "Here's to hoping you don't miss the window."

"I won't," Rachel hugged herself.

Quinn was once again silent. "You're drenched."

"Do you make a habit of stating the blatant?" Rachel inquired.

Quinn's eyebrow twitched. She calmly turned to the river, raised both her hands, and fluidly motioned them towards Rachel, mercilessly slamming the girl with a wave of water, causing her to fall over to her side.

Rachel whimpered.

"Cracked snowballs," Quinn cursed, walking over to the girl. "Sorry. Are you okay?"

Rachel sniffled. "Why is everyone being so mean to me today?"

Quinn sighed, and crouched down next to the shivering girl. "Your clothes were dirty. I was trying to wash the dirt off. I guess I miscalculated the force with which to shower the water on you."

Rachel quietly sobbed. "You could have told me beforehand so I would expect it. I was scared you were going to try and drown me in a bubble of water."

Quinn frowned. "Why would you think that?"

Rachel wiped her wet face. "Someone's tried before. One of the girls from the summer academy, when she had just awakened to her power. She encapsulated my head in a bubble of water. The teachers stopped her."

Quinn's shoulder slackened and she sympathized with the bullied girl.

Quinn lifted her hands once again and Rachel flinched. At the almost imperceptible motion, Quinn stopped.

"I'm going to drain the water out of you," Quinn stated beforehand.

Rachel relaxed and mumbled out, "Don't drain the water from my skin, please. It's healthy to retain a certain percentage of dermal hydrogenation in order to maintain translucent, smooth skin."

"Ten thousand gypsy comedians out of a job and you've got jokes," Quinn said with a grin.

Rachel glanced up at the girl, befuddled. "I wasn't joking."

Rachel's earnest, serious expression charmed Quinn, causing the blonde to smile and shake her head slightly. She elevated her hands and executed flowing gesticulations, collecting the water from Rachel's clothes into a thin stream that she continually returned to the river.

Rachel gazed in amazement at the girl's competent bending. "You're really talented for a ten-year-old. The precision and control with which you handle your element is quite admirable."

Quinn blushed demurely. "Not at all. There is still much I have to learn."

"Well, then, with your current command of the element, it should not be so tough for you to master the coming maneuvers."

"I would not want to be too assuming," Quinn shared. "I think that the ability to handle the elements is a gift of the gods. We don't control them, but work with them, as equals."

"There's a difference between being assuming and confident," Rachel stated. "If you're confident, then even if you fail, you continue because you know that at some point you will succeed. If you are just plain assuming, then when you fail, you will become frustrated with your incompetence and wonder when you lost your bending aptitude, and refuse to go on until you somehow regain it. I meant you should be confident."

"I agree," Quinn simply said.

Rachel regarded Quinn quietly for a moment. "You don't say much. Is that why they call you the Ice Princess?"

Quinn tilted her head to the side. "You know about that?"

"Quinn, it would be impolite for me not to know you, we have been attending this summer academy since we were six," Rachel pointed out. "I assume you know other things about me as well, considering you knew I come from the Earth Kingdom."

"You're not wrong, I do know some things about you," Quinn said. "But this is the first time I've talked to you at length."

"Me too," Rachel said. "I actually thought you were mute for the first two summers we spent here!"

"How flattering," Quinn deadpanned.

"Oh, I didn't mean for that to be offensive at all!" Rachel corrected herself. "You just never really interacted much with everyone else, and whenever we were in the mixed element classes, you never really participated. I mean, I suppose there were times when the Masters would call on us, but I must have managed to miss every single one of the occasions you spoke because this is the first time I'm hearing your voice!"

"I prefer to watch," Quinn said simply.

Rachel nodded. Quinn looked down at her scraped knees. "I'm sorry I won't be able to help with your knee much. I have years of training ahead of my before I can heal wounds. That is, if I have been granted the gift of healing."

"I have read that in the water kingdom only a select few have that gift," Rachel replied.

"My mom knows how," Quinn shared. "I can only hope it is genetic."

Rachel's eyes widened. "The only prominent figure that I know has that ability is…"

Quinn stared at her expectantly.

"… The Ice Queen of the Northern Water Kingdom," Rachel finished.

Quinn did not elaborate. "The rest are not revealed because we would not want to endanger the water tribe's healers. There are very few, and should someone have the twisted notion of becoming rid of them… the ability may go extinct."

"Why would such a public figure as the Ice Queen be revealed?" Rachel asked.

Quinn shrugged. "Maybe because it garners for more admiration? It's probably to pose an image. I don't know the specifics. My parents don't tell me much because they say I'm too young to understand."

"Preposterous!" Rachel was indignant on her behalf.

"I've never met anyone who legitimately used the word 'preposterous' before," Quinn chuckled. "I've only ever seen it in books."

"Quinn Fabray, are you calling me cartoonish?" Rachel asked, mock-insulted.

"No, just two-dimensional," Quinn quipped.

Rachel mock-gasped. "Hand me back my three-dimensionality right this instant. As a future performer, I am appalled you would even imply I'm fictional. I am as authentic as they come!"

"Yes, Rachel, you are as sincerely overbearing as they come," Quinn conceded.

"I never said anything about being overbearing!"

"—s_aid she in an overbearing manner_," Quinn playfully narrated.

"I would engage in the immature act of pulling your hair if it wasn't so silky," Rachel finally said with a huff, folding her arms.

"I would engage in the childish act of wrestling you to the ground if your clothes weren't so pretty," Quinn replied with a grin.

Rachel blinked, stunned. "You think… my clothes are pretty?"

"Mm-hmm," Quinn hummed her approval, lightly touching the sleeve of Rachel's argyle sweater. "The color mismatch is really peculiar."

Rachel frowned. "I'm not sure how to respond to that."

Quinn shook her head. "No. I like it."

Rachel felt heat shroud her cheeks as she mumbled out a timid, "Thanks." The brunette shyly stared up at the blonde princess. "May I… touch your hair?"

Quinn looked puzzled. "Um… Sure, but there's nothing really impressive about it."

Rachel shook her head and grazed her fingers past golden, silken locks. "It's really smooth."

"You can grab more of it if you'd like," Quinn gave permission.

Rachel nodded and entwined her fingers within Quinn's hair. "Incredible," she breathed in awe.

Entranced, Quinn tilted her head and reached out a hand to touch Rachel's hair. Rachel slightly flinched.

"Sorry," Quinn retreated, feeling strangely reproached. "Permission to touch?"

"N-no, I-I'm sorry, that was a weird reaction," Rachel mumbled out in embarrassment. "You can touch."

Quinn shook her head. "No, it wasn't. I forgot you've been pushed around enough for today."

"More like for a lifetime," Rachel corrected with a grin.

Quinn softly chuckled as she slid her hand through Rachel's brown locks. "I think your hair is prettier than mine. Mine is just plain straight. Yours is wavy and seems to have more life. Mine looks like a balloon deflated on my head."

"At least you're not told by Master Sue that a raccoon went and died on your head," Rachel joked.

"Poor Puck," Quinn commented. "Really unfortunate hairstyle. He seems like a decent boy."

Rachel's smile dimmed slightly. "Do you like him?"

"I do," Quinn said simply.

"Oh."

Quinn inspected Rachel's reaction. "Is it because he's your friend? I thought friends could be shared?"

"Friends?" Rachel elevated her gaze to Quinn's again.

"Yes, if he's affiliated with you then… I think I like him," Quinn shared sheepishly.

"Oh. OH." Rachel finally understood. "Of course! He's a great friend! I just sort of meant it in the… kissy sense."

"Kissy sense?" Quinn looked at Rachel with an endearing expression. "For all your eloquence, Miss Berry, you seem reluctant to utilize proper romantic vocabulary."

"Well, I just… haven't really thought about it much," Rachel mumbled.

"What happened to being authentic?"

"Fine. I lied. I think about it all the time. It's an inherent part of being involved in the arts! Everything leads back to love!" Rachel argued.

"Sorry you got crabby old me as your 'prince' during you little damsel in distress stunt in that ridiculously shallow river," Quinn joked.

"Well, you're a princess, I think that's close enough," Rachel chuckled. "And for short statured people like me, that 'ridiculously shallow river,' as you so refer to it, could have turned out to have disastrous life-imperiling consequences had you not come to my rescue!"

"Whatever you say, Berry," Quinn said, rolling her eyes playfully.

Rachel subtly winced. "I like it better when you call me Rachel…"

Quinn stared at the suddenly self-conscious brunette.

"Um… I mean… it's just that… um… it reminds me too much of Santana when you call me that," Rachel clarified, shifting her feet.

Quinn smiled kindly. She touched the shy brunette's cheek and gently turned her face to hers. "I think Rachel sounds cuter anyhow."

Rachel's eyes glistened as she felt a warm feeling spread within her chest.

"Though Berry sounds delicious," Quinn remarked as an afterthought, demurely chuckling at her own comment.

For some strange reason, Rachel blushed at Quinn's statement, a wayward tear slipping from her eye.

"Clumpy Igloo, what did I say now?" Quinn mumbled to herself in disappointment. She gently brushed the tear from the small girl's cheek, just as another escaped from the adjacent eye. "I-I'm sorry, I don't know what I did, but don't cry! I wasn't making fun of your last name or anything, I just thought—Oh, gosh, is it because I'm touching you? Sorry! Let me remove—"

Rachel quickly raised her hand to still the girl's wrist before she could separate herself. "N-no.. no, it's nothing like that…. I just… no one except for my parents have been this kind with me… and I mean, they're my parents, so they love me by default, and this is something really new for me, and I'm afraid I'm going to mess it up, or that I'm messing it up right now as I'm talking because I realize I'm rambling and that there's really no other point to me continuing this conversation now other than to further elaborate on my insecu—"

"Rachel, stop."

Rachel whimpered.

"Don't cry," Quinn comforted softly. "I've had enough of seeing you cry today… or more like, for a lifetime."

Rachel sniffled.

"I saw when Santana said all those mean things to you today," Quinn related. "I was sitting on the tree branch just trying to mind my own business… but alas, you all brought your business to me. I actually came to this clearing hoping to find some peace and quiet. I didn't really end up finding my new reading sanctuary, as you can probably tell."

Rachel's sniffles were subsiding but were still present.

"I found something better, though," Quinn continued with a smile. "You."

Rachel sobbed and more tears streaked down.

"Melted icicles, why do I keep saying the wrong things? I read enough books to come up with the most ideal lines so _why_! ?" Quinn questioned herself with a huff.

Rachel shook her head and sniffled again. "No, no! That was… really sweet… no one's ever said such nice things to me… I'm sorry, I'm just, easily swept by my emotions. It's the inherent sentimentality that comes with—"

"—being a performer," Quinn finished with a smile.

Rachel's eyes widened and she clung to Quinn's arms. "Oh my Barbra. And now we're completing each other's sentences! This is the stuff of scripts! Please be my friend!"

Quinn pulled herself slightly away, looking somewhat forlorn. "I don't know if I can be your friend."

Rachel rubbed her eyes. "Quinn, in life, you can be whatever you want to be!"

Quinn blinked. "Profound."

Rachel shrugged. "I'm quite intense."

Quinn deflated. "I can't, Rachel."

Rachel's lower lip wobbled. "Why not?"

"Because," Quinn sighed, lifting her eyes to gaze at Rachel in the eyes, "I already am."

Rachel lightly pushed the giggling blonde away. "Quinn Fabray, you are such a tease! I should smack you but I do not condone violence!"

"I'm glad!" Quinn finally said through her laughter.

"I wasted my tears on you," Rachel huffed, wiping away her face. "They would have been much better put to use in a legitimately tragic situation."

"You consider someone not wanting to be your friend as tragic?" Quinn giggled.

"What? I am young. I am preparing myself to go through the many trials and tribulations that a teenage love life will entail once I become one, but until then, I concern myself with age-appropriate distress scenarios."

"You make being friends with me sound like some type of workshop," Quinn chuckled, palm over her lips.

"A friendship is high-maintenance! A workshop would not be too farfetched an analogy," Rachel replied.

"Right, and I suppose aside from being friends with me, the main antagonist in your infancy life stage would be Santana?" Quinn asked, amused.

"Of course, Santana, and everyone who dares to question my talent," Rachel firmly established. "I know I will probably have to deal with her constant bullying until we graduate secondary school, but I am confident I can cope."

"You won't have to, if I'm around," Quinn assured, stepping closer to the shorter girl. "I'll have hell freeze over before I let anyone hurt my own."

Rachel shivered slightly. "I'm… yours?"

Quinn winked jokingly. "Only if you don't tell my mom I just said 'hell.'"

Rachel giggled.

"Of course not, Rachel. I don't own you, obviously. It's just an expression about taking care of people I care about, like my family and friend. And I know I'm just a kid, but I do what I can."

"Was hell supposed to represent Santana due to her fire bending abilities, and the freezing referring to you due to your water bending abilities?"

"You caught onto my metaphor," Quinn said with a smile. "I'm glad I have a Fine Arts minded friend."

"I always read between the lines, Quinn, it's an extension of my talent," Rachel articulated proudly.

"Santanaaaaa!"

"Don't follow me!"

"Speak of the devil…" Quinn breathed, turning to face the dense trees from which the voices emanated.

"This is such a poetic moment! That line perfectly fits the metaphor we have just established! The timing is impeccable!" Rachel enthusiastically gushed. "This is a momentous—"

Quinn cupped her palm over Rachel's mouth. "Rachel, your rambling is adorable but I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to stop."

Rachel effectively shut up after hearing Quinn call her 'adorable.'

"Get close to me," Quinn whispered.

Rachel stepped closer, but with a respectable distance in between her and Quinn.

"Please, wait, Santana!"

"I said not to follow me!"

The voices were growing closer. Quinn took matters into her own hands. She snaked her arm about Rachel's waist and pressed the girl tightly against her. She quickly lifted a glob of water and encapsulated Rachel and herself within it. She transported them into the deepest part of the river.

"I'm so glad we're small enough," Quinn said, sounding relieved. "If we were adults, this would take so much more effort to maintain the water separate from us."

"Will we be okay?" Rachel inquired. "I wish I could earth bend… then maybe I could have set up a rock barrier to help you out a little… Sorry."

Quinn released a strained smile, hands still lifted in the bending motion. "Don't apologize for something you can't help."

"Is there anything I can do?"

"Get closer to me, that way we can minimize the amount of space I have to maintain," Quinn instructed.

Rachel nodded. She scooted closer to Quinn. "It's probably best if we lie down. Otherwise they'll be able to see us."

"Good idea," Quinn said as she inspected the space in order to create enough to fit the both of them in the river bubble without getting wet.

Rachel slipped a hand over Quinn's waist and tugged herself closer. "Is this okay? If it's uncomfortable, I can move back a little."

"No, no, that's fine, you're good," Quinn whispered. "Now we just have to be quiet so that Santana and Brittany don't hear us."

"Can they see us?" Rachel whispered.

"Well… if they look close enough into the river, we are pretty much busted," Quinn informed. "I know there are techniques that allow you to blur the water, or even make the water velocity in this river faster, but I'm just ten! It's surprising I even know how to effectively envelop myself in a bubble!"

"You're a prodigy, Quinn!" Rachel praised. "I expect no less from someone whom I associate with as a friend."

"And Puck?"

"Puck is the exception."

"Harsh," Quinn chuckled.

"Honest," Rachel replied adamantly.

"Shh!"

"Okay!"

"Santana!"

"Okay, I give, you caught up to me! Even though I almost caused a forest fire just to block your path," Santana wearily said.

Brittany reached the clearing but accidentally tripped on her feet on her way to Santana.

"Britt—!" Santana stopped herself. She didn't deserve to touch Brittany. She'd probably just end up hurting her, like she does everyone else.

If she can't protect the bubbly blonde verbally, at the least she could do so physically.

"Owie," Brittany quietly lamented. She glanced up at Santana expectantly, wishing the girl would come to her aid. Her heart collapsed when the girl just stood there and avoided making eye contact.

Brittany's eyes watered. "You hate me."

Santana's eyes softened and she clenched her fists. "You hated me first."

Brittany shook her head vigorously. "No, I didn't. Why would you think that?"

"You looked… so… disappointed in me after I yelled at Berry…"

Brittany stared.

"Fine, Rachel, whatever…"

"I was… but just because it made me sad that the Santana I know, the sweet, kind, and caring Santana, would say such mean things to others, not just Rachie… who by the way is really nice, honest and friendly… but sort of loud."

"Hey!" Rachel objected.

"What was that sound?" Santana wondered, looking around.

Quinn directed the infamous Ice Princess glare at Rachel.

Rachel obstinately huffed and pouted. "Point taken."

Brittany shrugged. "I don't know…"

Santana sighed. "Look, Britt, I don't usually care what other people think about me. I do what I want whenever I want. All people ever do is judge you. There's always this sense of expectation that people seem to develop for you. It annoys me. I… I've always been drawn to you because… well, you never seemed to judge me… I was really comfortable with you… but today, you… you seemed sort of mad at me and I can handle my parents, my peers, and my teachers all hating me but… the slightest disapproval from you… I… It just…. I wouldn't… it could easily break me, Britt."

"Oh my Aang, the drama is building up," Rachel exclaimed in low volume, squeezing Quinn's arm in excitement.

"Whatever happened to Barbra?" Quinn questioned.

"Variation is good every now and then!" Rachel replied. "Oh! Shh, I think Brittany is about to respond…"

Quinn rolled her eyes. "You're seriously way too invested in this. Should I bake the popcorn?"

"Don't be absurd, Quinn," Rachel lightly admonished. "We're in the middle of a river. There is no popcorn here. If anything, we would eat the passing fish. I have nothing against eating them. Except for when they're raw and uncooked."

"High-maintenance, alright," Quinn murmured in amusement.

"Sssshhh!"

Quinn silently chuckled at the girl's antics.

Brittany smiled. "The people that surround you don't hate you, San."

Santana's heart tendered at hearing the return of her nickname.

"You are loved, but sometimes you don't tend to notice it because you are a little too busy focused on the sadness that your own perceived shortcomings bring you… I get that you are the type of person that needs external release. I'm glad you don't keep it bottled up inside but… bullying others shouldn't be the way to make yourself feel better. If you make others sad, then you're only going to add to your own sadness, because you can't draw happiness from sad people."

"You make me happy, Britt," Santana confessed vulnerably.

"She makes her happy, Quinn! ! !" Rachel repeated, enthused. "Did you hear that? She makes her happy!"

Quinn smiled but with a slight grimace. "I'm glad, Rachel, but if you keep pressing on me too hard, I won't be able to maintain the bubble, and then we'll be the unhappy ones."

"Oops, sorry!"

"You make me happy, too, San, but… you should think about me, too," Brittany continued. "I like to be around happy people. I want to have fun with others. I want you to have fun with others with me. I like it when it's just the two of us, but it would be great if we could expand our circle of friends."

"What if they take you away from me?" Santana asked softly.

"What did she say? Quinn, did you hear? What did Santana say? I must know!" Rachel insisted. "I can't hear with all the maritime noise."

"Oh, excuse me, Madam Berry, let me just quickly use my superhuman aquagirl water creature telepathic skills to tell the fish to be quiet."

"I would appreciate that, Quinn. Thank you."

Quinn blinked. "Umm…"

"I'm kidding, Quinn! I know you can't do that."

Quinn chuckled.

"Not yet, anyway."

Quinn choked.

"No one will ever keep me from you, San. And I won't let anyone keep you from me, either, so it's a two-way street here, Missy! I don't want you to change. And you know I would never judge you. I just want you to try and be little nicer to the rest of the kids at the summer academy. I bet we could have lots of fun with everyone else!"

Santana's tears finally spilled from her burgeoning eyes and she quickly wiped them, embarrassed. "S-so you're not mad at me anymore?"

"I never was, Sanny!" Brittany giggled, rising to her feet from where she fell on the grass to run and envelop the fiery Latina in bone-crushing embrace. "I love you so much!"

Santana tensed, but then immediately relaxed under Brittany's touch. "I... I love you, too, Britt-Britt… More than…" Santana gulped the rest of her words down and squeezed Brittany tighter in an unspoken effort to communicate how much she cared for the girl in her arms.

Sniffle.

Quinn sighed. "Are you crying again, Rachel?"

Sniffle.

"No."

"We're in an enclosed bubble space about 7 feet underwater, with the added feature of water wall echo amplification, I can hear you're crying, Rach," Quinn concluded.

Rachel sobbed. "You called me 'Rach.'"

"I think I should just stay quiet during times when you get emotional like this. Everything I say can and will be used against me during your affected state."

Rachel burrowed into Quinn's shoulder. "Can I give you a nickname, too?"

"Sure."

"You're the Ice princess… so… you'll be the Ice Popsicle now."

"Rach, does your heightened sentimental state affect your creativity?"

"You don't like it?" Rachel cried, whimpering.

"No! No! Not at all—!"

"You hate it!" Rachel sobbed, pulling away from the girl.

"Wait, no, you didn't let me finish! I do like it! In fact, I love it. You can call me the… Ice Popsicle," Quinn ceded.

"… Really?" dubiously questioned Rachel.

"Yes, really, now c'mere," the blonde said as she pulled Rachel closer to her with one hand while the other one continued bending. "Let's reduce space."

"I'm cold, Quinn," Rachel said, hugging herself to the blonde.

"That's what you get for associating with the Ice Popsicle."

"Well, then, a little chill isn't too high a price to pay if I get to spend time with you," Rachel concluded happily. "I hope you and I can be close like Santana and Brittany someday."

"… I'm not sure they're the example we want to follow there, Rachel," Quinn chuckled.

"Why not? Their friendship just underwent one of the toughest elementary-level conflicts that can occur at our age! And they easily overcame it! I think their relationship is admirable."

"Hmm, I'm not sure, they seem a little… angsty."

"What's life without a little drama?"

"Spoken like a true future Bender Splendor star." Quinn hugged the smaller brunette to her. She was not able to pinpoint the reason why yet, but she was really content to just lie there holding Rachel. "Do you think they're gone?"

"Mmm, I don't hear anything anymore so I believe it's safe to assume…"

"Great, we can finally get out of this claustrophobically tight space!" Quinn cheered.

Rachel frowned. "But I'm kind of comfy now…"

"I thought you said you were cold?"

"The pleasure of being with you overrides the discomfort of the cold."

"Well, I'm glad you're having fun, Lady Berry, but I can't hold this bending position for too long, my arms are already starting to cramp," Quinn informed with a strained smile.

Rachel immediately detached herself. "Whoops, sorry, Quinn! We can leave whenever you're ready."

"Phew, okay, great, I'm going to try and pull us out now," Quinn stated, beginning a fluid gesticulation that was executed with grace.

Up until they got to the surface upon which Quinn could not hold her position and lost control of the water, effectively drenching them both.

Looking like a wet cat, Rachel commented to Quinn, "At the least I do not have to worry about a shower today."

"You don't have to try and make me feel better," despondently responded Quinn, disappointed in her abilities.

"No, Quinn, you were amazing!" Rachel reassured, holding the girl's two hands. "You kept us underwater for close to 15 minutes! It's understandable that you were exhausted to make strenuous trip back to the surface."

"I ruined your pretty clothing," Quinn murmured. "It'll get all wrinkly now."

"Nothing a quick wash and ironing can't fix!" Rachel optimistically said.

Quinn smiled demurely. "Right. Shall we head back to the dorms?"

"Let us!" Rachel enthusiastically exclaimed.

"Wait, should we go to the infirmary first? Your knees still need to be looked at," Quinn reminded. "They might scar noticeably if we don't go now."

"You're right," Rachel conceded. "Though even if they did, they would be a permanent reminder of the day I met you! Sort of like a tattoo."

"If you'd like to see it that way," Quinn replied, touched. "Hmm, now that I look at them, the scar on your left knee sort of looks bulky-shaped like a rock, and the one on your right looks somewhat squiggly-shaped like a stream. Coincidence?"

"I think not," Rachel replied with confidence. "Our meeting….. it was written."

"In the divine and now… on your skin."


End file.
